Machine for assembling shoe parts



11 Sheets-Sheet l J. C. CANTLEY MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING SHOE PARTS Filed Feb. 28, 1942 Dec. 22, 1942.

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Dec. 22, 1942.

J. C. CANTLEY MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING SHOE PARTS Filed Feb. 28, 1942 ll Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 22, 1942. J. c. CANTLEY MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING SHOE PARTS Filed Feb. 28, .1942

ll Sheets-Sheet 3 Rn Rn Dec. 22, 1942. .1. c. CANTLEY MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING SHOE PARTS 'Filed Feb. 28, 1942 11 Sheets-Sheet 4 Dec. 22, 1942. J. c. CANTLEY 5 MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING SHOE PARTS Filed Feb. 28', 1942 11 Sheets-Sheet 5 qza J. c. CANTLEY MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING SHOE PARTS 11 Shets-Sheet 6 Deg. 22, 1942.

Filed Feb 28, 1942 Dec. 22, 1942. J. c. CANTLEY MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLI NG SHOE PARTS ll SheetsSheet 7 W cv 13 L Jk IPHL 1 ll Filed Feb.

M DAMN i limb Q D83. 22;, J. C. CANTL-EY MACHINE FOR ASS EMBLING SHOE PARTS Filed Feb. 28, 1942 ll Sheets-Sheet 8 Dec. 22 1942. J. c. CANTLEY 2,305,670

I MACHINE FOR -ASSEMBLING SHOE PARTS I V Filed Feb. 28, 1942 ll sheets sheet 9 /N VENTUR Dec. 22, 1942. ,,c CANTLEY 2,305,670

MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING SHOE PARTS Filed Feb. 28, 1942 11 Sheets-Sheet 10 Ti 3", l8.

Dec, 22, 1942.

J; c. CANTLEY MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING SHOE PARTS l1 Sheets-Sheet 11 Filed Feb. 28, 1942 Patented Dec. 22, 1942 MACHINE FOB. ASSEMBLING SHOE PARTS Joseph C. Cantley, Beverly, Mass, assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Flemington, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application February 28, 1942, Serial No. 432,762

53 Claims.

This invention relates to machines for use in assembling and molding shoe parts and is illustrated as embodied in a machine for relatively positioning and securing together the component parts of reinforced insoles and for performing a molding operation upon the. insole. It is to be understood, however, that the invention and various important features thereof may have other applications and uses.

It is an object of the invention to provide for the positioning of the constituent parts of an article relatively to each other and for the gaging of article parts with respect to work treating elements of the machine, so that the article may be perfectly formed during a machine operation which follows the assembling of the parts, and to do this in such a way that the gaging and positioning operations may be effectively performed in spite of adjustment and/or alterations in the work treating mechanism made to suit variations in the method of assembly of the parts of the article. It is a further object of the invention to provide for a combined manual and automatic control of work positioning and gaging elements from a single treadle or other manually operable member although separate sets of such gaging and positioning elements are provided for each unit of a twin machine.

In the illustrated construction, which in its more specific aspects is an improvement upon the assembling and molding machine disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 2,151,974 granted March 28, 1939, upon an application of Frank Kennison and Frank E. Stratton, means is provided for projecting work positioning and gaging members into the space between upper and lower molding elements for the assembled work piece and for withdrawing such positioning and gaging members successively in a lateral (i. e. in a sideways direction with respect to the machine) and in an upward direction, thereby avoiding any disturbance of the various Work pieces assembled in proper relation to each other as a preliminary to the molding operation. Conveniently, a cam mechanism is so located and so conditioned preliminarily to both the projective and retractive movements of the positioning and gaging members as to control such movements of the latter. that is, into and from their operative positions.

In the illustrated construction, the said cam mechanism comprises a cam which is lowered to its operative position prior to the retractive movement of the work positioning and gaging members and which remains in its operative position to insure the described withdrawal movement of r such work positioning and gaging members out of the path of the relatively movable molding elements of the machine.

It is an important feature of the invention that gripping means is provided for holding a work piece, in this case an insole member, in position against a gage member, the purpose being to prevent displacement of the insole member during the molding operation which follows. Conveniently, the gripper means is operated by hydraulic means under control of the operator, the construction being preferably such that the work positioning and gaging members are also operated by the same hydraulic means but at a later time in the cycle of operations as determined by successive movements of a manually controllable member. By providing for control of the hydraulic means in successive steps by the manually controllable member, it is possible for the operator to assemble successively difierent portions of the article with the aid of work positioning and gaging members moving successively to operative position under control of said manually controllable member.

Another feature of the invention relates to the provision of sets of work positioning and gaging members in association with each unit of a twin work treating machine in an arrangement in which such sets of members are operated selectively from a single manually controllable member. In a preferred construction, the last-mentioned member is movable manually in successive steps for operating in succession a number of work positioning and gaging members.

These and other important features of the invention and novel combinations of parts will now be described in detail in the specification and then pointed out more particularly in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a view in front elevation of a twin molding machine for operating upon right and left shoe part members;

Fig. 2 is a view, partly in section, of the hydraulic controlling and operating means for both the shoe part positioning and the molding mechanisms;

Figs. 3 to 8, inclusive, are views showing details of the hydraulic mechanism of Fig. 2;

Fig. 9 is a view in front elevation, and partly in section, of the right side of a machine similar to that shown in Fig. 1, showing a modification of work supporting and positioning elements for reverse work, such elements shown enlarged and in more detail;

Fig. 9a is a fragmentary view in longitudinal section of a reinforced insole the parts of which have been assembled, secured together and molded by the use of my machine;

Fig. is a view in side elevation of the machine shown in Fig. 9 looking from a point at the right of the machine;

Fig. 11 is a transverse horizontal section through the machine taken just above the work supporting and positioning means whereby the latter are shown in plan view;

Fig. 12 is a detail view of parts shown in Fig. 11 looking in the direction of the arrow XII in said figure;

Fig. 13 is a detail view of parts shown in the upper part of Fig. 20 looking in the direction of the arrow XIII in said figure;

Fig, 14 is a .detail view of work positioning and gaging members;

Figs. 15 and 15a are detail views of latch means also shown in Fig. 14;

Fig. 16 is a detail of an ejector mechanism for disposing of the finished work piece;

Figs. 17, 18 and 19 are detail views of a gage and of a gripper means for holding a work piece against the gage; and

Fig. 20 is a view similar to Fig. 9 but showing a dilTerent arrangement of the work supporting and positioning members for regular work, Fig. 20 being in fact a View in front elevation of the right side of the machine of Fig. 1 showing the elements enlarged and in more detail.

In the machine illustrated in Fig. 9, which is specially designed for assembling and molding operations upon the constituent par-ts of a reinforced insole or insole unit, there is provided a lower mold member 24 in the form of a rubber pad so that certain portions of the work piece 'may be pressed into the surface of such pad during a molding operation which takes place upon downward movement of an upper mold member 26 of unyielding material such as wood. For cooperation with the lower mold member 24 in supporting and positioning a work piece there is provided a work supporting member 28 adapted to support a toe gage 39 (Figs. 9, 11, and 18) and gripper members 32 for the toe end of an insole 3 when the latter is in position against the gage 3B. As shown in Figs. 11 and 18, the gage 30 is arranged at an angle, other than a right angle, with respect to the longitudinal axis of the work support, the gage of Figs. 11 and 18 being for rights while the gage of the other molding press will be at an angle (the reverse of Fig. 11) for lefts. These parts are designed to support and position the constituent elements of a reinforced insole when the latter are being assembled and operated upon in what may be termed reverse Unishank work, i. e. for assembling and molding Unishank insole units in which the steel shank and the fiber reinforcing piece are applied -to the inner or foot-facing side of the insole (Fig. 9a). In the method of assembly of the parts of a Unishank insole upon the mold member M and the work support 28 (Fig. 9), the insole 3d (Figs. 9 and 9a) is placed upon the members 24, 28 with the toe end of the insole member against the exposed. face of the gage 39. Then, upon a suitable depression of a treadle 36 (Figs. 2 and 4) against a spring 31, the gripper members 32 are caused to engage the toe end of the insole 34 to hold the latter in place by clamping it against the support 28, since it might other wise be displaced at the beginning of the molding operation which takes place during downward movement of the wooden mold member 26 carried by the movable head 21.. Such tendency to displacement would be due in part, at least, to compression of the rubber pad under pressure of wooden member 26. In the next step in the assembly of the Unishank insole, a steel shank member 38 (Figs. 9 and 9a) is placed upon the insole member 34, said member being located on the insole member with the aid of a shank positioning member 39 (Figs. 9, l4 and 15) which was brought down into contact with the insole member M as a result of the first depression of the treadle member 36. As shown in Fig. 15, the end of the member M3 is forked to receive the shank member 3i? and position the same in both endwise and lateral directions with respect to the insole 34. A further downward movement of the treadle 35 brings down a holddown 42 which presses on the top surface of the steel shank 33 at a point adjacent to the operative end of the positioning member iii. There is then placed on top of the steel shank 38 a reinforcing member 44 which, at its forward end, rests on the operative end of the holddown 62. This makes it desirable that both the positioning member 40 and the holddown 42 be withdrawn in a direction lengthwise of the insole before the upper mold member 26 comes into contact with the parts to be molded.

As indicated above, means is provided for retracting the positioning member t0 and the holddown 42 first in a substantially lateral direction i. e., in a direction substantially lengthwise of the insole parts and then in an upward direction prior to the molding operation on the assembled insole parts. In the illustrated construction, this means comprises a supporting structure for the members A}, 32 shown in detail in Figs. 9, 10 and 13 to 15, inclusive. As shown, the positioning member fill is carried by a slide member 48 to the lower end of which it is secured by a set screw 4!. The slide member 48 has a projection Ma and is mounted for vertical sliding movement in a housing @9 adjustable by a set screw 49a (Fig. 14) on a carrier 58 in turn mounted for swinging movementon a pintle 52 rigidly supported by a slide 54 in frame member 55 which overhangs the work supporting member 28. To provide for relative movement between the positioning member 4i) and the holddown 42, the latter is slidably mounted in a guideway in the slide member 18 (Figs. 14, 15, 15a) back of a face plate 51? on the front of the housing 49. To hold the members 40, 42 yieldingly in their lowermost positions, each member is provided with a pin 5% to which is attached an extensible spring 6i the lower ends of the spring Bl being attached to other pins 63 fastened to the housing 49. At its upper end, the holddown 42 is provided with a pin 65 (Figs. 15 and 15a) which engages the upper edge of the face plate 51 to limit downward movement of the holddown 42 under the pull of the spring 6!. However, the holddown can move upwardly against the tension of spring 5|. Slide member 48 which carries member 45 is limited in its downward movement by the projection 48a at its upper end engaging the upper edge of a portion of housing 3.9, such slide member being movable upwardly against the pull of its spring 6!. At a certain point in its upward movement the slide member #8 lifts member 42 by contact with pin 59 carried by the latter member as shown in Fig. 15. At about said point both members 45, 42 are locked in their retracted positions after they have been lifted by contact with the assembled work pieces, the locking being effected by engagement of the nose end 61 of a latch member 69 under said projection 430. on the slide member 48 when the latter has been lifted in the manner described, the movement of the: latch member 69 being caused by a compression spring 'I'I (Fig. 1511.). This is an important feature of the construction of the supporting devices for the positioning member 40 and the holddown 42, since latching them in their relatively raised positions just described minimizes the possibility that they will be dragged over the surfaces of the assembled work pieces while being retracted laterally just before the molding operation. It should be noted in this connection, that the members 41?, are later released from the latch member 59. This takes place when the said members 52 together with their supporting means return to their uppermost positions of rest shown at the right in Fig. 1 and in Fig. 20. The unlatching occurs when the tail part of latch member 9 comes in contact with the stationary abutment 13.

For moving the carrier together with the members 40 and d2, toward and from the lower mold member 24 there is provided a lever I0 (Figs. and 13) pivoted at F2 on the frame member 55', said lever Ill being pivotally connected to the lower end of the siide 5 by links I4, said lever I0 being normally held in its uppermost position by a spring IE and being movable between its uppermost and its lowermost positions as determined by set screws I8 and 80 mounted in a flange in said frame member 55. For operating the lever 10, and hence the slide 54 and the members 49, 42 there is provided a connecting rod 82 and a hydraulic mechanism (hereinafter described) under control of the treadle member 36 (Figs. 2 and i). Downward movement of the treadle 36 will depress the slide 54 and carrier 50 and successively bring the posi ticning member 4!) and the holddown 42 into their respective positions shown in Figs. 9 and 15. It will be readily understood that as the carrier 5i? and the members 40, 42 are moved downwardly by the lever I0, the positioning member 48 will contact the insole 34 first and yield upwardly relatively to the holddown 42, causing tension of its spring 6|. The next downward movement of the treadle 35 and lever Iii will cause further retraction of the member 49 until holddown 42 is reached and shoved upwardly against the tension of its spring by contact with the shank piece 38 (Fi As shown in Figs. 1, 9, 14 and 20, the carrier 50 is provided with a cam roll is: adapted to be received and guided in a cam groove H34 formed in a cam member I06 slidable vertically in the head 55 and normally held in its uppermost position through an extensible spring I68 (Fig. 13). Conveniently, the carrier 50 "for the positioning and holddown members 40, 42 is provided with an arm I09 (Figs. 9, 13 and in which is mounted a set screw I l i, the latter being adapted to engage a surface H3 at the upper end of the slide member I06 to move the latter downwardly against the yielding resistance of the spring i598, it being understood in this connection that the carrier member 59 is swung from its inclined position (Fig. 20) (which represents it uppermost position of rest) to a vertical position 9). this change in position being due to the travel of the cam roll I02 along the cam slot Hi4 of the slide member Hi6 while the latter is held down in the position of Fig. 9 against the tension of the spring I533. As shown, the slide or cam I536 is guided on the frame member 55 by guideways H l (Fig. 13) into which project the operative ends of a pair of levers H2 both fixed to a pivot member H4 rotatably' mounted in said frame member 55; This pivot member H4 has secured theretoa lever arm H6 (Fig 10) which is adapted to be contacted by a cam roll I I8 (Figs. 9, 10, 11, 20) fixedly carried by the head 27, it being understood in this connection that the pivot member I I4 with its lever arm I I6 is located substantially above the level of the lower mold member 24 (Fig. 9) or i4i] (Fig. 20). When the head 2'! swings forwardly to a position where the upper mold member 26 is directly above the lower mold member 24, the cam roll. I I8 is directly above the lever arm H6 in its slanting position shown in Fig. 10; Hence, straight-line downward movement of the head 21 will cause the cam roll H8 to contact the lever arm H6 and move. it from dotted to dash line position (Fig. 10) thus providing means for holding the slide )6 (Figs. 9 and 13) in its lowermost position by reason of. the swinging movement of the lever arms l I2 located on the same pivoted member H4 as the lever arm l IE. It follows that, during downward movement of the carrier 50, the latter is swung to the left in Figs. 1, 9 and 2.0 to bring the positioning member at and the holddown d2 into the space between the upper mold member 26 and the lower mold member 24. of the carrier 58 in an upward direction will be accompanied by a quick swinging movement of the carrier 59 to the right about its pintle 52 by reason of the travel of the cam roll I92 in the cam slot .194. Since the slide member Hi5 with the cam groove I84 is in its down position at the time the trcadle 3B is released and the carrier 555 starts upwardly with its positioning member 4% and holddown 42, the latter are swung rapidly to the right (Figs. 9 and 20) at the very beginning of their upward movement thereby withdrawing members 4d and 42 laterally, i. e., in a direction lengthwise of the insole 34, from the positions shown in 9, so that the assembied parts of the insole will not be disturbed as they would be by a direct upward movement of the members 4!), 42. It will be noted that, in Fig. 9, there is a slight space between the roll Hi2 and that part of the cam wall of I05 directly above and to the left of the said roll I02. Hence upon releasing the treadle 36 and the rod 82, the carrier 56 will jump upwardly the slight distance thus permitted so as to release some of the pressure of the members 48, 42 upon the work pieces thereby lessening the drag of these members on the work as they are withdrawn in the manner described.

Means is provided in connection with the cam member Hi6 to serve as a safety device for the hold-clown 4t and positioning member 42 in case the press should be improperly operated, e. g., through initiating a press operation while the said members 40, 42 are in the position shown at the left in Fig. 1. To this end, there is provided a cam member M9, on the swinging press head 21, which is arranged to engage a roll IZl secured to the cam member I05 to depress the latter during the forward swinging movement of the head 2?, downward movement of the cam member Hit having the effect of withdrawing the holddown and positioning members 48, 42 through travel of the cam Hi2 along the cam path I'M during such downward movement of the member Hi5. Substantially the time that the cam member ill; passes beyond the roll l2I at the end of the forward swing of. the head 21, the roll H8, operative during downward movement of the said head 21, contacts the arm H6 to continue the depression of the cam member Conversely movement I06, thereby insuring that the members 40, 42 are withdrawn, and held in withdrawn position, out of the path of the upper mold member 26 (Fig. 1) or I42 (Fig. 20).

Whereas the insole parts 34, 38 and 44 are assembled in Figs. 9 and 9a in such manner that the steel shank 38 and the reinforcing member 44 are applied to the inner or foot-facing side of the insole, it is common to apply the shank and reinforcing members to the outer or outsole-facing side of the insole, so much so that this latter method is usually spoken of as the regular Unishank work or method. To assemble the parts in the regular manner, the machine is provided (as shown in Figs. 1 and 20) with a lower mold member I40 of wood or other substantially unyielding material, it being understood that the upper surface of the mold member I40 is smooth and that it corresponds in curvature to that of the bottom of the last upon which the shoe embodying the insole is to be made or is curved more or less in excess of that of the last bottom to provide for overmolding of the insole unit. For cooperation with the wooden mold member I40 there is carried by the head 21 a yielding mold member or pad I42 which is made of rubber.

In order that the rear end of the pad I42 may be adjustable with respect to the wooden mold member I40 there is provided, above the pad I42 at its rear end, a bendable elastic metal member I44 above which is an eccentric member I46 secured to a stub shaft I48 which has afiixed thereto a handle I50. Upon rotating the handle I50, the eccentric I46 is caused to bend the metal member I44 and also the rear portion of the pad I42 in a downward direction thereby adjusting the pad to the wooden mold member I40. Associated with the lower mold member I40 is the work supporting member 28 which carries the toe gage 39 and the toe gripper members 32 which, in the other embodiment of the invention (Fig. 9) are also carried upon the work support 28.

In assembling the parts of a Unishank insole steel shank is placed upon the upwardly facing surface of the insole member 34 after the positioning gage 40 has been lowered into contact therewith by the same movement of the treadle which effected operation of the grippers 32. Then, by a further downward movement of the treadle, the holddown 42 is brought into operation to hold the shank-member in place while the reinforced member 44 is being placed over the shank member. Upon starting the molding operation a spring pressed plunger I60 (Figs. 9 and 20), yieldingly mounted in the upper mold member 26 or I42 and its supporting structure, engages the reinforcing member 44 of the assembled insole in advance of the upper mold member to hold the parts in assembled relation while the positioning member 40 and the holddown 42 are being withdrawn to the right in Fig. 20, just as they were withdrawn to the right in the construction shown in Fig. 9.

As heretofore stated, depression of the treadle 36 has, as its first effect, the bringing of the gripper members 32 into operation whereby the insole member 34 is clamped in position against the toe gage 30. As shown in Figs. 11 and 18, the gripper members 32 are secured to a rod I10 mounted for rotation in a bearing I12 integral with a plate I13 and a block I14 both slidable on the work supporting structure 28. Secured to one end of the rotary rod I10 is an arm I15 having at its free end a roller I16 yieldingly pressed by spring I11 into contact with the upper surface of a vertically movable member I18 carried at the upper end of a vertically slidable rod I83 (Fig. 12) mounted in bearings in the machine frame. Pivoted to the slidable rod I is a link I84 having its other end pivoted to arm I86 secured to a short rotary shaft I88 mounted in a bearing on the machine frame, said shaft I88 having at its other end an arm I90 having at its free end a roll I92 adapted to contact a cam surface I94 near the lower end of a cam unit i secured to the lower end of the connecting rod 82 (Figs. 9, l0, 13, 20) and to the upper end of a piston rod I95. Upon downward movement of the piston rod I96, the roller I92 is contacted by the cam I94 and forced over to the left to the position shown in Fig. 12. This movement of the roller I92 and of the lever arm I90 is accompanied by upward movement of the lever arm I66 and hence of the vertically movable rod I80, the latter carrying at its upper end the movable member !18, such upward movement lifting the roll I16 and rotating the bar I 10 to bring the gripper members 32 into contact with the insole member 34. As before stated, further downward movement of the rod 82 and of the piston rod I93 through operation of the treadle 36, results in bringing down the positioning member 46 and the holddown 42.

When the operator releases the treadle 36 so that the latter two members 40 and .42 may be retracted from the path of the movable mold member, as in Fig. 20, the gripper members 32 would also be released if means were not provided to hold them in operative position until the molding operation has been completed. The means referred to above comprises a locking means as shown in Fig. 12 wherein a locking member 290 is shown holding the lever arm I90 to the left although the cam surface I94 has moved upwardly away from the roller I92. This locking member 200 is carried by a lever 202 pivoted about an axis 204, a spring 206 being operative to move the locking member 200 to locking position determined by a set screw 208 carried by an upwardly extending arm 2i!) integral with a bracket 2II secured to the frame of the machine. As shown, the locking member 200 is moved to inoperative position by means of an abutment 252 on a surface of a post 2I4 which carries the mold head 21'. During upward movement of the post 2M, the said abutment 2I2 catches the lip of a pawl 2&5 pivoted to the free end of the lever 282. whereby the locking member 20".? is moved downwardly to unlocking position with the result that the rod I80 with the supporting surface W8 is at once projected downwardly by a spring 268. As soon as the supporting surface H8 is withdrawn, the rotatable bar are is moved by the spring $11 to lift the grippers 32. By keeping the grippers in operation until the molding operation is well started or even completed, there is obviated any likelihood of the sole member 34 being shifted during the molding operation and particularly when the upper mold first contacts the assembled sole members, it being obvious from inspection of Figs. 9 and 20 that some lengthwise shifting of the sole member 34 might take place, particularly at the beginning of the molding -operation, due in part to the yielding mold member and possibly also to an initial bridging effect of a more or less flat insole; if it were not for the gripper members 32. Means is conveniently provided to unlatch the locking member 2% in case it is desired to reset all the sole parts before a molding operation, the said means comprising a member 211 (Figs. .11 and 12) normally in contact with the upper surface of the latch 208 when the latter is in operative position (as shown), said member 211 being rigid with a hand lever 211a (Fig. 11) which may be depressed to trip the latch 200.

For positioning the insole 34 on the lower mold member in directions transverse of the latter, there are provided side gage members 226 (Fig. 11) each pivotally mounted at 222 and held together by a spring 224, said gage members each having an arm 226 provided at its end with a segmental rack so arranged that the racks mesh with each other thereby insuring that movement of one gage member 220 is accompanied by movement; of the other gage member to the same extent but in the opposite direction. A similar pair of side gage members 239 mounted at the ends of pivoted arms 232 substantially longer than the arms which carry the gage members 220 are provided to gage the insole member 34 near the middle of the length thereof. These gage members 229, 230 are mounted upon a vertically movable rod or post 24B (Figs. 9, l and 20) which is spring pressed in the upward direction by a spring 24 I the arrangement being such that thegage members 220, 230 are moved downwardly ahead of the upper mold member, returning to gaging position subsequently to the upward movement of said mold member, as will now be described.

As shown in Figs. 9 and 10, there is connected to the lower end of the rod 245, by means of a block 242 pivoted on the rod, a lever 243 engaging said block and secured to a short shaft 245 journaled in a bearing supported by a bracket secured to the machine frame, the said shaft 245 having also secured thereto a lever arm 241 having surfaces arranged to be contacted by a roller.

2'49 carried in the upper end of an arm 25l rigidly secured to the lower end of the post 2l4 which carries at its upper end the mold member head 21. Upon downward movement of the post 2E4, the roller 2&9 contacts the upper surface of the lever 24'! near the end thereof and thereby moves the rod 246 downwardly with the result that the side gage members 22%, 23B are moved downwardly just in advance of the upper mold member. At the extreme downward position of the roller 249, the latter is contacting the inclined end of the lever 241 whereby the gage members and the rod 240 are held in lowermost position. During the downward movement of the rod 240, alatch member 253 pivoted at 255 is swung downwardly by a spring 25?, the arrangement being such that an end 259 of the latch member 253 engages behind an abutment 2M movable with the member arm 24'! to hold the latter iocked in a downward position. Hence, the side gage members 225, 230 are also locked in aposition below the upper surface of the lower mold member thereby facilitating the work of an ejector member 255 in discharging the molded sole forwardly from the field of molding operations. It is only when the roller 249 has moved upwardly with the post 214 Upon upward movement of the upper mold member it or Hit, it is desirable to eject the molded shoe part, there being provided for this purpose an ejector mechanism comprising the two-pronged ejector member 250 (Figs. 9, 10, 11 and 1.6), the said member being secured to a slide bar .252 horizontally slidable in a guideway 25E stationary in the main frame of the machine. Pivoted to the slide member .252 is a link 2256 also pivoted to the upper end of a lever 258 integral with a sleeve 260 (Fig. 16) rotatable on a short shaft 282 mounted in the machine frame. Also extending from said sleeve 2% is an .arm having a hook 264, a spring 256 connected to said hooked arm being provided to return the lever and the ejector members 12:53, 252 to the inoperative or retracted posit-ion shown in Figs. 10 and '16. Pivoted upon the post 2M (which carries the mold head 27) is a hook or pawl member 210 arranged to engage the hooked arm 254 upon upward movement of the upper mold carrying member 21, the result being that the ejector member 252i is projected instantaneously to the left in Fig. 10, that is, in a direction toward the front of the machine in Figs. 9 and 11 to eject the molded shoe part in a forward direction immediately after the molding operation.

Since the upper surface of the lower mold member is not a plane surface, the shoe part should be lifted somewhat from the lower mold member to a position whereit may be readily ejected laterally, that is, toward the front of the machine. For this purpose there is provided a plunger member iilil (Fig. 20) in line with the upper spring pressed plunger ltd (Fig. 20), the arrangement being such that the two plungers cooperate to hold the molded shoe part for ejection by the ejector member 25d. As shown, the plunger member 280 is carried at the upper end of a rod .282 (Fig. 10) pivoted at its lower end to an arm 2.34 in turn pivoted at 285 to a part of the machine frame. Pivoted on the arm 284 is a member 292 normally held against a stop tilt on said arm by a, spring 2%. Upon downward movement of the post '2 M with its mold carrying head 21, a cam member 25%? secured to said post wipes by the pivoted member 292 which subsequently springs back into position above the projecting portion of said cam member 298. However, upon upward movement of the post 2 l4, the cam member 298 contacts the free end of the pivoted member 292 and shoves the latter and the pivoted member 28d over to the left (Fig. 10) about the pivot 286, swinging of the arm 2334 about the pivot 28.6 causing the plunger 288, 282, to be projected upwardly carrying with it the molded shoe part and also the spring pressed plunger E53 which is in contact with the opposite side of the shoe part. The timing is such that the ejector member 2'50 strikes the molded shoe part just as the upper plunger I60 is releasing it due to upward movement of said plunger with the upper mold member 21.

Upon reference to Fig. l of the drawings it will be observed that there are two presses or molding machines and that, while one is operating to mold a shoe part, the other is in open or work receiving position with the upper mold member 26 (or I42, Fig. 20) and the head 2'! displaced backwardly, as shown in full lines in Fig. 10, thus facilitating the work of the operator in assembling shoe parts upon the lower mold member 24 (or I43, Fig. 20). pointed out, each mold head 21 is carried by a post 2M which is arranged to be swung forwardly to bring the upper mold directly above the lower mold member, the said post 2!4 being then moved downwardly to effect the molding operation. Preferably, and as shown, hydraulic means is provided for effecting the up-and-down movements of the post 2!4 and of the mold head 21.

Upon reference to Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 9, it will be seen that the lower end of the post 2M has fastened thereto a pivot pin 30! upon which is pivoted a block 333 to which is fastened a piston rod 305 having secured thereto between its ends a small piston 30'! (Figs. 2 and 4) movable in a small cylinder 309, said piston rod 335 also having secured thereto at the lower end thereof a second piston 3!! much larger than piston 30'! and movable in a piston cylinder 3!3. It is to be understood that the hydraulic means for operating one mold head 21 is identical with that for operating the other mold head and hence that there are two sets of pistons and piston cylinders in the arrangement already described and as shown in Fig. 4. Pivoted at 3!5 (Fig. 3) in the upper end of a stationary post 3!! is a lever 3!9 having its opposite ends forked at 32! to straddle the upper ends of the respective piston rods 305 and engage under the blocks 333, the arrangement being such that, upon downward movement of one piston rod 335 due to the application of hydraulic pressure, the other piston rod 305 will be lifted upwardly to its position of rest by the lever 3! 9.

When it is desired to initiate a pressure applying operation, the operator depresses one of a pair of latch releasing members 325 (Fig. 1) each carried at the upper end of a rod 32'! (Figs. 1 and 3) vertically movable in a bearing in a cover plate 329, said rod having its lower end pivoted to a bell crank lever 33! rocking about a pivot in the machine frame, the other end of each bell crank lever 33! being pivoted to the adjacent end of a rod 333 extending in a suba valve (hereinafter disclosed) to initiate a pres sure applying operation, as will be hereinafter described. It will be observed in Fig. 3 that the finger end of the latch member 335 rests on the As already 7 stantially horizontal direction between said bell crank levers 33!. Between its two ends the rod 333 passes through openings in a pair of latch members 335 (Fig. 3) and has secured to its intermediate portion a pair of blocks 33'! each adapted to engage the inner upright surface of the corresponding latch member 335, each of the latter having at its upper end an inturned finger portion adapted to engage in a notch 339 to look a rotary member 34! against rotation. However, upon downward movement of a latch releasing member 325 (Fig. 1) the bell crank 33! is operated to move the rod 333 to withdraw one of the latch members 335 from its cooperating notch in a member 34!. In Fig. 3 the righthand releasing member 325 (Fig. 1) has been depressed, thus removing the right-hand latch 335 from the corresponding notch 339 and the rotary member 34! has been rotated along with cylindrical surface of the rotary member 34! ready to drop again into the notch 339. A spring (not shown) is provided for holding the latch members 335 yieldingly toward latching position with respect to the rotary member 34! so that the operator must hold the latch releasing member 325 in depressed latch-releasing position while he swings a lever 345 (Figs. 1, 2 and 3) to initiate a pressure applying operation. The lever 345 is fastened on a stub shaft 345a, rotatable in a bearing in the machine frame, to the other end of which is fastened a lever arm 3451) connected by a link 3450 to a lever arm 345d rigidly attached to a shaft 341. To effect a pressure applying operation, the handle 345 is connected in the manner just described to a rotary valve member fixed to shaft 34'! of member 34! and located in a valve housing 35! (Fig. 5), the valve therein being preferably of the type shown in Fig. 6 of United States Letters Patent No. 2,231,963, granted February 18, 1941, on an application filed in the name of Frank E. Stratton.

Within the housing 35! there is a chamber (containing the valve member mentioned above) into which open a number of pipes of which pipes 353 (Fig. 3) carry fluid under pressure to the upper ends of the small cylinders 303 (Figs. 3 and 4), it being understood in this connection that said valve member in the valve housing 35! is operative to connect only one of the pipes 353 at a time with a pressure pipe from a pump indicated in general at 355 (Fig. 4). From this pump 355 there leads upwardly a pressure pipe 35! which ends in the housing or valve chamber 35! (Fig. 3), the pump chamber having also connected thereto a supply pipe 359, the lower end of which dips into a reservoir 36! of pressure fiuid. Connected to the valve housing or chamber 35! is a pipe 363 which serves as an exhaust pipe for returning pressure fluid to the reservoir 33!.

Upon turning the handle 345 to the right, as in Fig. 1, fluid pressure medium from the pressure pipe 35! is directed in the valve chamber 35! to one of the pipes 353 and thence to the upper end of one of the smaller cylinders 309 whereby the corresponding pistons 30! and 3!! are forced downwardly to move the upper mold head in its operative stroke. During the first part of the downward movement of the piston 3! I, liquid is drawn into the large cylinder 3!3 by suction through a pipe 365 (Fig. 2), the lower end of which is well below the level of the pressure fluid in the reservoir 38!. At a certain point in the downward movement of the pistons 33?, 3!!, a valve 35! (Fig. 2) is forced back by the pressure medium under high pressure in the small cylinder 309 against a spring 31! so that pressure is communicated instantly to the pressure medium already collected in the large cylinder 3!3, whereby heavier pressure is applied to the movable parts because of the larger area of the large piston 3!!. The mold pressure is maintained in the selected press or molding machine so long as the handle 345 and the valve controlled thereby remain in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 3. Upon throwing the handle 345 over to the left in Fig. 1, pressure is removed from the right-hand set of pistons and piston cylinders to the left-hand set with the result that a molding operation begins with the left press while the corresponding parts in the right press are restored to open work receiving position by the lever 3l9, as before described. For a more complete description. of the operation of the hydraulic mechanism for selectively operating the twin presses or molding machines, reference should be had to the Stratton patent mentioned above.

As heretofore stated, the gripper members 32 together with the work positioning member 43 and holddown 42 are moved downwardly into work engaging position by means of rod connections 82 and I94 to a piston rod Hit. A piston rod is employed instead of a direct connection to a treadle mechanism inasmuch as it is desirable to operate the work holding and positioning members associated with each molding unit from one treadle mechanism. This can be readily accomplished by providing fluid operated means for effecting operation of such work holding and positioning members under control of a single treadle. Upon reference to Figs. 2 to 8, inclusive, of the drawings it will be found that the said fluid operated means comprises a control valve device 3623 (Figs. 2" and 3) operated by direct connections to the treadle 36. Ex tending from the control valve 33!! are pipes leading to a set of rotary valves 3%2 under control of the operator through the hand lever 345 by which each molding press in turn is caused to operate upon proper manipulation of the said lever. The said rotary valves control the application of fluid under pressure alternately to relatively small cylinders 3M, 313 for operating alternately the piston rods 1% which effect operation of the work holding and positioning members as already described.

Upon inspection of Figs. 2 and 3 it will be seen that the control valve comprises a cylinder 3i8 in which slides a piston rod 32!) supported by a spring 32 3a (Figs. 2 and 4) and having spaced piston heads 322, 324, the space between the heads 322, 324 being, under certain conditions, filled with fluid under pressure entering from a pipe 328. As shown in Figs. 2 and 4, the spring 323a is supported at its ends against buckling and other displacement by studs or pins projecting into tie spring. If now the treadle 36 be depressed a suitable distance, the piston rod 323 is moved downwardly (through suitable connections hereinafter described) and fluid under pressure is admitted to a pipe 328 (Fig. 3), a further depression of the treadle having an effect of directing the pressure fluid also into a second pipe the pressure fluid from these two pipes 328, 333 being directed to effect two successive downward movements of the piston rod I96 alternately in one or the other of the cylinders 3M, 3H5, as will hereinafter be described. If now, the treadle be released for upward movement by spring 3?, the piston rod 323 will move upwardly, under action of the spring 329a, and thus pipes 328 and willbe successively connected with an exhaust pipe 332 (Fig. 3). If only pipe 338 be thus connected, the holddown member 42 will be released to permit adjustment of the steel shank piece 33. If pipe 328 be also connected to the exhaust, member All will also be released to permit repositioning of the parts of the assembled work pieces.

For connecting the piston. rod 32!] (Figs. 2 and 3) of the valve cylinder 318 with the treadle 35, the said piston red 3253, which extends a substantial distance below the cylinder 318, has fixedly secured thereto acollar 336, the latter being normally in the path of a finger 338 extending laterally from a clamp member 340 secured to the upper end of a rod 352 whose lower end is pivoted to the treadle 35. Since the rod 342' passes through the reservoir 33 for the pressure medium, it is surrounded by a tube the upper end of which extends substantially above the level of the pressure medium, the said tube 3 26 being of a diameter to permit necessary movements of the rod 3 32. t will be clear that, upon downward movement of the treadle the finger 338 on the clamp member 3&3 will engage the collar 333 on the piston rod 323 to effect movement of the latter downwardly against the resistance of the spring 32%, as above described. As shown in Fig. 3, the clamp member 3:53 at the upper end of the rod 342 fixedly holds a pin 348 which passes through a slot in an ear 35% extending laterally from the wall of the cylinder 318 at the lower end thereof, the purpose of the pin and slot being to guide the upper end of the rod 342 in certain movements of the latter,-

particularly while it is being moved into and out of operative relation to the piston rod 323, a spring 343 being provided-near its upper end to return said rod 342 to its normal position.

It is considered desirable to provide means for disconnecting the treadle 38 from the piston rod 320 in the valve cylinder 3m to insure upwar movement of the work holding and positioning members 4! 42, at the proper time, out of the way of the descending mold member, automatically operating means being provided for this purpose. Conveniently, the disconnecting means comprises a cam member 352 (Fig. 3) extending forwardly from a plate 354 carried fixedly at the lower end of an arm 353 pinned to the pivot shaft 3l5 to which the double armed lever 333 is secured for rocking movement. At its opposite ends, the lever 3 i 9 is forked to straddle the upper ends of the piston rods 305 and to engage the lower surfaces of washers on the lower ends of the blocks 333 carried by the lower ends of the posts H4. Hence, as the double armed lever 3l9 swings first in one direction and then in the other, as first one post and then the other is pulled downwardly by a piston rod the cam 352 will effect disconnection of the treadle by moving the finger 338 to one side of the collar 336 on the valve piston rod 325, thereoy freeing the latter for automatic control as before mentioned.

As stated above, the pipes 328 and 338 leading from the control valve device 3&0 are to direct fluid under pressure to each of the cylinders 314, 3; in turn whereby the corresponding piston rod I96 is moved downwardly in two steps. Instead of having a direct connection of these pipes 328 and 330 with the cylinders 364 and 3l6, it is considered desirable to provide a control mecha nism so that first one and then the other of the piston rods I96 is conditioned for operation at the will of the operator. Hence, the pipes 328, 330 are connected to the rotary valve control mechanism indicated in general by the reference character 302 (Figs. 2 and 5). This valve mechanism comprises rotary valve members 310, 312 (Figs. 5, '7 and 8) which move as one since they constitute an integral valve member loosely mounted on the shaft 34?. Said shaft has extending transversely thereof a pin 316 the ends of which are movable in arcuate slots 3'58, 380 in valve member 310, while a hub portion of a large valve member 382 also has slots in which pin 316 is snugly received, the valve 382 being mounted for rotation in the valve housing 35L It will be understood that the valve 382 in the housing 35I is pinned to the shaft 34! to be operated by the hand lever 345. The shaft 34? controls through the valve member 382 the pressure medium of operating both the small pistons (Figs. 3 and 4) and also the large pistons 3 in each of the cylinders 389 and SIS, respectively, for causing pressure applying operations of each molding press. As already stated, the details of the large valve 382 in the housing I are not disclosed herein since it is preferably of the type shown in Fig. 6 of the Stratton patent mentioned above.

The pin and slot connection (376, 373 and 388) between the rotary valve 382 and the rotary valves 370, 372 is so constructed and arranged that a rotation of the main valve 382 will cause no rotation of the valves 370, 312 during the first 22 due to the arcuate slots 3%, 386, the said valves 310, 3'12 being carried along with the main valve 382 during the second (approximately) 22 rotation of said valve 382, whereby the valves 310, 372 are moved to a position Where the fluid medium is held in one of the cylinders (3M, 3H3) to hold down one of the piston rods I96 whereby the work positioning members on that side are held in work clamping position. Loosely mounted on the valve shaft 341 is a third rotary valve 460 loosely connected by a pin 462 to the valve 372, the pin 402 being fixed to valve 4% and having its other end projecting into an arcuate slot in the valve 322 of a size such that the described rotation of the valvestlfi and 312 by the described pin and slot connection with the large valve member 382 has no effect on the valve member 400. However, when the valve member 400 is rotated through 22 (approximately) by means hereinafter described it does so without effecting movement of the valve members 370 and 3'32. During the second part of its 45 movement the valve member 4% moves both of the valve members 370, 312 through the pin 222 to a position where the control valve 380 may operate selectively on either the right-hand cylinder 3E4 or the right-hand cylinder BIB. In its 45 rotation to the right in Fig. 6, the valve 460 connects a and 6) and at the same time connects an exhaust pipe 43I to the bottom of the left cylinder 3H5 through pipe 438a. During the last 22 (approximately) of rotation of the valve 492, the valves 370, 3Y2 are carried along by pin M2 to a position such that the pipes 422a and 428a of left-hand cylinder 3H5 are connected to the pressure pipes 328 and 330, respectively, leading from the control valve 300, thereby conditioning the valve cylinder 3I6 for downward movement of the work positioning members 49, 42 of the lefthand press unit upon subsequent depression of the treadle 36. At the same time, the pipes 422, 423 of the right cylinder 3M are connected to the exhaust pipe 43Ia (Figs. 5, '7, 8) since the pipe 430 is connected to the pressure pipe 403 (Fig. 6) to return the work positioning member 40, 42 of the right press unit to their upper position of rest. As stated, the valve member 490 connects the pressure pipe 433 to the bottom of the right-hand cylinder 314, the purpose being to expedite upward movement of the members 40, 42 (springs BI, 16 and I88 also tending at all times to lift the said members 40 and 42) and to hold the said members in their upper positions of rest.

Upon reference to Fig. 3 of the drawings it will be seen that the lower end of the piston rod I is receivable in the valve cylinder 3 it (or 3i 6) and that there is attached to said rod Hi6 within the cylinder 3M a piston head 4%. Surrounding the rod I96 above the head 349 is a sleeve 442 having a collar 4% rigid therewith to en gage the head 440 to force downwardly the piston rod I95 when pressure is applied through the pipe 422, downward movement of the sleeve 442 being limited by a stop member 446 secured to the sleeve and adapted to engage a surface 448 at the upper end of the valve housing. The downward movement caused by pressure medium entering from the pipe 122 and acting on the sleeve collar 444 is the first step in the downward movement of the rod I96, such downward movement of the rod I96 having the effect of bringing a second head 450 on the piston rod the valve cylinder 3M an opening into the third pipe 438 which may be connected either to an exhaust pipe 43I (Fig. 6) or to the pressure pipe 403 for lifting the piston rod I93 to its upper position and maintaining it there with the work positioning members 48, 42 in their upper position of rest. It will be understood of course that the description of valve cylinder 3M and the piston I96 applies equally well to the valve cy1- inder 3I6.

Automatic means is preferably provided for alternately conditioning the piston cylinders 3M and 3I6 for operation by the treadle through the control valve 392. thus facilitating the operation of assembling a work piece with the aid of the work positioning and holding members .32, 40 and 42, said automatic means also operating to cause the piston in the other piston cylinder to returnto its upper position whereby movement of said work positioning and holding members to retracted position out of the path of the descending mold member is assured. Said automatic means comprises a cam roll 589 (Fig. 3) secured to the right-hand end of the lever SIS which, on the downward movement of said end of the lever, contacts the cam surface 562 secured adjustably to a lever 594 pivoted at 526 to the end of a bracket 598 extending from a stationary part of the machine frame. Contact of the roll 509 with the cam 5&2 moves the lever 5% to the right about its center 5%, thereby causing a rotary movement of the valve member am: through a link connection BIG with a lever arm EH2 secured to said valve member 409 (Figs. 3, 5 and 6). This movement of the valve member 400 to the right into the position shown in Figs. 3 and 6 results in connecting the bottom end of the right-hand piston cylinder 3M to the pressure pipe 403, and in connecting at the same time, the lower end of the left-hand piston cylinder 3I6 to an exhaust pipe, as already described. In the latter case, the conditions are rendered appropriate for bringing the left-hand set of work positioning members successively into operative position through proper operation of the treadle 36. It is to benoted in this connection that downward movement of the right mold member is accompanied by downward movement of the right end of the double-arm lever 3I9 and the consequent operation of the cam roll 50!) upon the cam 562 to effect the described movement of the valve member 466 to the right in Figs. 3 and 6, one consequence of said movement of the valve member 400 being the prompt return of the holddown and positioning members (associated with the right-hand mold members) to their upper positions of rest.

Upon upward movement of the right lever arm 3I9 in Fig. 3, the cam roll 566 will contact a cam surface 5I4 also carried adjustably by the lever 504 whereby said lever will be swung over to the left in Fig. 3 about its pivot 506,,to cause movement of the valve 400 in a counterclockwise direction in Figs. 3 and 6, thereby to bring said'valve member 400 into a position such as to cause the application of pressure to the bottom end of the left-hand piston cylinder 3I6 through the pipe 430a and at the same time cause movement of the valves 31!] and 312 to exhaust or release the pressure in the top part of the same cylinder 3I6,

whereby the work positioning members 40, 42 are retracted out of the path of the descending mold member on the left side of the twin machine. At the same time, the valve cylinder and other parts connected operatively thereto are conditioned for l the member 560 beingto free it from engageoperation to bring down the right-hand work positioning members upon proper operation of the treadle 36.

To assist the operator in locating the toe gage 30 in connection with sole. members of different sizes and styles of shoes, there is provided special means including size and style scales for securing the desired adjustment of said gage 30. As shown most clearly in Figs. 9 and 1'1 to 19, inclusive, the work supporting member 28 is provided with a work supporting table 5211 upon which rests the plate I13 having integral therewith the toe gage 30. Also integral with the plate I13 is the block I14 which is slidably supported in a slot in the rear end of the table 520 and in a dovetail formation 522 (Figs. 17 to 19 inclusive). When it is desired to adjust the gage 36, a set screw 524 is loosened to free a gib 526 (Fig. 19) and also the block I14 so that the latter may be adjusted along the slot in the. table 520. Extending downwardly from the block I14 below the table 525 is an arm 536 to the lower end of which is rigidly fastened a lengthy bar 53I (Fig. 1) also rigidly fastened tothe arm 530 of the toe gage mechanism of the other press unit so that adjustment of the toe gage mechanism at the left in Fig. 1 isaccompanied by the same adjustment of the gage parts at the right in Fig. 1. At a point intermediate the ends of arm 536 (Fig. 9), there is pivoted thereto a link 532, the other end of the link being pivoted at 534 to an arm 536 mounted rotatably on a fulcrum pin 538 supported by a side wall of the work support 23. Pivoted to the arm 536, at a point intermediate its ends, by a pin 546 is a link 542 the other end of which carries a connecting pin 544 movable in a slot 546 in a sectorshaped lever 548, the said connecting pin 544 being provided with a knurled head so that it may be readily rotated to loosen or tighten the pin in the said slot 546 in carryingout adjustment of the link 542 lengthwise of said slot 546.

Extending from the last rnentioned end. of the link 542 is a pointer or indicator 55D movable over a regulatory scale 552. As shown, the lever .larl work.

ment with a stationary tooth surface 566 so that it may be rotated to cause movement of the lever 548 about its pivot point 554. After rotating the lever 548. to. the. desired amount, the latter is locked. in its adjusted position upon releasing the. regulating member 566 which is at once moved back into engagement with the toothed surface 566, it being. obvious that locking of the regulating member 56Gby the stationary toothed surface566 results alsoin locking the lever 548 since the member 566 is constantly inmesh with therack 558 on the lever 546. Movement. of the lever5'48'is. transmitted to the arm 536 through the link 542 and movement of the arm 536 causes movementof the block I14 through the link connection 532. Movement of the lever 548 is guided as to its amount by a stationary pointer 516 in connection with a sizev scale 512 on the exposed surface of the sector-shaped lever 548, By this means the block I14 and hence the toe gage 33 are adjusted on the work supporting table 526 various selected distances, as indicated by the size scale 512. For greater accuracy it is often necessary or desirable to get. a finer adjustment 5 for size by adjustment of the pointer 556 over the regulatory scale 552, it being obvious that the further pointer 550' is movedaway from the fulcrum pin 554 the greater will be the movement transmitted by the lever 546 to the block I14 through the link 542'. As a further refinement. there is provided on the surface of the table 525 a style scale, indicated in general by the referencecharacter 514 (Fig. 18). It will be clear fronma comparison of Figs. 9 and 20 that the work support 28- with all of the means just described to adjust the toe gage 36 thereon is the same in bothof the illustrated constructions and that the said work support 26 has been lifted up into the position shown in Fig. 9 by introducing a spacing block 580, the latter being used when shoe sole partsof the so-called reverse arrangement are tobe assembled for a molding op- .eration, whereas in Fig. 20 the spacing block 580 i removed so that the work support 28 may be positioned as shown in said Fig. 20 for regu For a complete disclosure of the method of utilizing the size scale (including the regulatory scale) and the style scale, reference should behad to United States Letters Patent No,- 2,119,564, granted June '1, 1938-, on an application filed in the name of J. M. Whelton.

Assuming that the right upper mold member is in. its upper position of rest, as indicated in Fig. 9, and that the operator is about to begin assembling of the sole parts, the piston I96 being in its raised position as in Fig. 3, the operator depresses the treadle 36 far enough to direct pressure medium from the pressure pipe 326 (Figs. 2 and 3) to the pipe 422 (Fig. 3) the pressure medium passing by way of pipe 328 and then through the rotary control valve device 362 to the pipe 422 and entering near the top of the valve cylinder 3I4 to effect thefirst downward movement of the piston rod I96, whereby the grippers 32 are caused to engage the toe end of an insole which the oper- 

